BUSN7036 – Written Assignment (Assignment 1) Assessment Weighting: 10% of total marks available for.

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BUSN7036 – Written Assignment (Assignment 1)
Assessment Weighting: 10% of total marks available for course
Due Date: 11am Monday 1 April 2019
Submission Details Upload an electronic copy of your assignment to Wattle via the
‘Turnitin’ assignment link. Please attach a completed cover
sheet, available at:
https://www.rsa.anu.edu.au/rsa/info-for-current-students/formsand-coversheets/
Word Limit: 1500 words excluding references and appendices.
Overview:
This assignment is designed to familiarise you with the company (CSR Ltd.) that is the
subject of your later ‘Company Analysis Assignment’, and to assist you to develop your
knowledge of strategic analysis, the extent to which accounting and basic financial analysis
may inform strategic analysis, and your ability to effectively and professionally communicate
qualitative and quantitative information. Much of the financial and non-financial information
required to complete this assignment is available through Morningstar DatAnalysis Premium
(e.g. summarised financial statement information, copies of CSR Ltd. annual reports, stock
exchange announcements etc).
This is an individual assignment.
Required:
1. For the years 2001 to 2018, prepare graphs of CSR Ltd.’s:
a. Operating Revenue and Net Profit
b. Total Assets and Total Liabilities
c. Total Owner’s Equity (at Book Value) and Market Capitalisation (i.e. Market
Value of Owner’s Equity)
d. Net Profit Margin, Return on Assets and Return on Equity
You might find it helpful to produce 1 set of graphs for all years, and then separate
graphs for 2001 to 2011 and 2012 to 2018)
2. Write a brief operational history of the company focussing on the years 2001-present,
explaining the major shocks to CSR’s operations and performance during this time. In
doing so, you should:
a. Identify the nature of CSR’s operations (i.e. what business activities are they
involved in?) and any changes in the nature of CSR’s operations over time
(right up to the present day)
b. Apply your knowledge of corporate strategy (as defined in Topic 2) and
industry profitability to analyse the fundamental reasons for the changes in the
raw level of profit and in profitability?
c. Apply your knowledge of competitive strategy to analyse the potential costs
and benefits of the competitive strategy that CSR has adopted.
o Integrate the graphs produced in the first requirement (or adapted versions of
these graphs) to support your analysis. Show graphs at relevant points within
the main text of your assignment, and include all required graphs at the rear of
your assignment in an Appendix.

Your report must be original and properly referenced in accordance with the
requirements of the University’s Academic Misconduct Rules:

o Please use the Harvard (author-date) system
o You must clearly identify whether material that you are referencing is a direct
quote from the source (place in quotation marks) or a paraphrasing of the
source
o As you will frequently be referring to financial statement data in this
assignment, it is acceptable to make a single initial acknowledgement (via
footnote) of the source(s) of that data. However, any text drawn from or based
on discussion in CSR’s annual reports should be properly referenced.
o You cannot ‘re-cycle’ material that you have submitted for assessment in
another assignment.
o If you have any doubt regarding referencing requirements contact the Course
Convenor.
o Further details are available at : http://www.anu.edu.au/students/learningdevelopment/academic-integrity and
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2015L02025